Nymphomania and kleptomania: concomitant aspects in two female patients

Abstract

This study analyzes two cases of nymphomania and kleptomania in women, highlighting how complex psychological symptoms can arise from a dysfunctional family environment. The patients, one aged 34 and the other aged 22, exhibit behaviors that defy simple understanding of their manifestations, which are often labeled as immoral. Through in-depth analysis, it emerges that self-harming and compulsive behaviors are responses to feelings of insecurity and relational tension with maternal figures, rather than mere expressions of sexual instincts or deviance. The research highlights the importance of considering the family context and dynamics in the treatment of neuroses, proposing an Adlerian view that emphasizes the social and cultural genesis of symptoms